Thread cutter for weft-replenishing looms



Nov; '1, 1927.- 1,647,731

E. R. HOLMES THREAD CUTTER FOR- WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Filed June 18,19 .5 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 five/vim I I I mf e 1e. [Is/m Nov. 1, 1927. r

v v E. R. HOLMES THREAD CUTTER FOR WEFT REPLEIIISHING LOOMS 2Sheets-Sheet 2 'l'l l' Patented Nov. 1, 1927.

UNETED srArss 1,647,731 PATENT OFFICE.

ELBRIDGE R. HOLMES, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMPTON &KDTOWLES LOOMWVORKS, OF RVOROESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS.

THREAD CUTTER- FOR WEFT-BEPLENISHING LOOMS.

Application filed June 18, 1925. Serial No. 38,067.

This invention relates to a thread cutter designed for use in a weftreplenishing loom. In such looms the bobbin is commonly ejected from theshuttle just prior to complete exhaustion of the weft thereon and it isnecessary to sever the weft thread so that the ejected bobbin may drawthe weft end entirely out of the shuttle eye, thus permitting accuratethreading of the weft on the new bobbin and preventing the thread on theejected bobbin from being drawn into the cloth.

It has been customary to cut the weft thread between the selvage and theshuttle box after the flight of the shuttle is completed but it has beenfound that the weft end sometimes becomes caught between the shuttle andthe wall of the shuttle box and cannot be drawn clear of the shuttleeye.

It is the object of my invention to provide a construction by which theweft thread will be grasped and severed while the shuttle is in flightand before the shuttle enters the shuttle box.

Another object is to provide a thread cut-- ter which is normally heldin inoperative position but which is moved to operative position uponindication of weft exhaustion and which becomes effective to cut theweftduring the next succeeding flight of the shuttle.

A further object is to provide a thread cutter which is released forcutting action by the shuttle as the shuttle passes the 'thread cutter,said cutter having been previously moved to operative position.

fvliy invention further relates to arrangements and combinations ofparts which will be hereinafter described and more particu larly pointedout in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in whichFig. 1 is a plan view of portions of a loom to which my improved threadcutter has been applied;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1, with parts ofthe thread cutter shown in section along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 i and 5 are sectional side elevations of my improved threadcutter and show successive operative positions thereof;

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional plan views of the thread cutter, taken alongthe line 6-6 in Fig. 3 and 77 in Fig. 5 respectively;

F 8 is a side elevation of the cutting jaws in open position;

Fig. S) shows the same parts in closed postion;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the jawopenmg cam;

F ig. 11 is an end view of a shuttle designed for usewith my improvedthread cutter; and

Fig. 12 is a sectional view of the cutting aws.

Referring to the drawings I have shown portions of a loom including abreast beam 20, a thread cutting temple 21, a lay 22, a loom side 23 anda magazine frame 24:.

A rock shaft 25 is pivotally mounted in the upper part of the magazineframe 24 and is provided with an arm 26 which is moved from the dottedline position in Fig. 2 to the full line position in said figure uponindication of transfer. All of the parts thus far described are of theusual construction and form no part of my present invention whichrelates more particularly to an improved thread cutter for use inconmotion with the several parts of the loom above setforth.

My improved thread cutter comprises a stand 30 formed with base andcover portions and mounted in fixed position upon the breast beam 20..A. cutter slide 33 and a cam'slide 34 are slidably mounted in the stand30for movement toward and from the lay 22. A spring 35 -(Fig. 3) ismounted upon a rod 36 threaded into the cover of the stand 30 and the'rear end of the spring 35 engages a bracket 37 secured to the top faceof the cutter slide 33. In the rearmost position of the slide 33, asindicated in Fig.

.4, the bracket 37 engages a shoulder on the threaded rod 36, byadjustment of which the rearward position of the slide may be adjusted.

A stud 38 (Fig. 6) is mounted in the slide 33 and extends through a slot39 in the slide 34 and also through a slot 40 in the side of the stand30. The outer end of the stud 38 is normally engaged by a lever 41 (Fig.2) pivoted to the loom side at 43 and connected by alink 44 to the arm26 previously described The lever 41 is normally in the lowered ordotted line position shown in Fig. 2 and engages the stud 38 as shown'inFigs. 3 and 6. Upon indication of transfer, however, the lever 41 israised by the usual movement oil the shaft 25, releasing the stud 38 andpermitting the slide to move rearward from the position shown in Fig. 3to thatshown in Fig. thus presenting the thread cutter in position toruse.

The slide 33 is also provided with a. second stud l6 (Figs. 6 and 7)projecting into a slot formed in "he can slide 3%. The slide 3 lisprovided with an offset grojection' l-9-which engages the trout end ofthe stand 30 and limits rerward movement the cam slide. A light coilspring 50 is seated in the slo 418 veen the rear enl of the slot and 1estud 4:6 and tends t move the sline 34; rearward relative to tie H Lislide 33 to the position indicated in Fi and 0.

hen the slide 33 is released to ll'lOVG to operative position, the slidemoves in the same direction until its projection e9 en gages the frontend 01 the sta -d thereafter the slide 33 moves reari ativelv to theslide 342, as the spri strong enough to overcome and oompres spring 50.v

The cutter slide 33 is provided end with an upper cutt' jaw 8 and 9) onan arm 53 which is a secured to said slide and with a l tin jaw mountedon an 5o l at 56 to said slide. The slide 33 also has dependingprojection 57 to which a contact lever 58 is pivoted at The lever 58weighted. at its-forward end and n.ormall occupies the positionindicated in 3. The rear end of the lever is notch receive an actuatingmember or do carried by the lat 22.

A. wire plunger 61 9) is pivoted at 62 to the movable cutter armandextends upward through the fixed arm 53 which sup ports the cuttingjaw 52. A sprine s positioned between the med arm 53 and head 64; on therod 61. thus ac ng to yieldmove the cutters from open position shown inFig. 8 to the closed position shown in Fig. 9.

A second rod 61 is also pivotec at 62 and extends downward therefrom.has a. shoulder 65 and an offset end 66 which extends loosely through an67 in the contact lever ting jaws are opened, as indicated 8. bymechanism to be described. the snoulder 65 engages the lever 58 andmoves the lever from the position shown in Fist. 3 to the posit on shownin Fig. a in which position it will be engaged bv the dagger 60.

A cam plate 70 (Fig. 10) is pivoted on a vertical stud 71 mounted in therear end d to er 6O in Fiat tween studs 73 and 7M on the fixed and movahe cutting jaws but in the normal position of the parts indicated in 3and 6 the l i narrow portion tuo; are adjacent the ie came plate whichpermits the jaws i in closed position. ii hen the are released uponindication of trans f ind the thread cutter moves rearward, he slidemoves r arward further than he slide e l, as previoi :lv described. thusausi. the stud T l on the lower cutt ng; jaw 54 to move rearward alongthe cam ta e 76 of the plate 70. H opeiinp; the cutting as ndicated 1 l.The stud 73 on th 1 var jaw 52 a s guide tor the cam .i 70 din" i o; ethereoi. W en the cntt F is its extreme rea ward position. relative tothe cam slide v the sud 74 is received behind a spur or tion 7? the camplate, which holds open the slides are moved foragement of thelever 58by ger 60.

mechanism thus described the is released and allowed to move rearward tomeet the advancing lav. at the same time opening the cutting jaws andlatching them in open position. As the dag 60 engages the lever 58.direct pressure is applied to the dependi or portion 57 01 the slide 33and the cutter moved forward in definite relation to the lay. a

The shuttle S is provided with a projection 80 (Figs. 1 and 11) having acam face or e the nd ot the cam plate 0 )roaches the adjacent shuttlebox. This provction S0 is grooved or recessed at 81 (I ll) to receivethe weft W and to in presenting the. same be tween the c the projectionS0 of the i J thread cutter. the proiecti and strikes swinging the sameawav l jaws as clearly indicated in i 7. Tii releases the stud M andperm the jaws close. severing the weft thre as indicate in Fig. 1. Thearms and whicl'i support the cutting aws have eiratedsurtaces 53 and 55(Fig. 12) which grasp the we end extending from the salvage and hole itfor the temple thread cutter. '7

The shuttle with its very short weft end thereafter enters the shuttlebox' d the bobbin is transferred. drawi the short wett end easily fromthe shuttle eve. As; the thread cutter is thereafter pushed forward bythe dagger 60 to its extreme forward po sition, the lever ll is againlowered to engage the-stud 38 and'thus reta-in thethread cutter innormal or forward position. as

soon as the lay moves. rearward and disengages the dagger 60 from thelever .58, the counterweightf the lever causes it to swing to theposition shown in ,3- in which it is out of the .path of the dagger 60.The parts remain 1n this position 'lllltll another indicationoftransfer.

Ihave thus provided athread cutter which iseifective to grasp and cuttheweft end upon indication of .transfer while'the shut- :tle is inflight and before the shuttle enters the shuttle box. This I believe,torbe novel and very important,.as it greatly reduceslthe chances ofsubsequent misthreading. My in- :the bohbin=is very small, as anysubstantial resistance to .freepassage ofgthe weft then causes thebobbin to, unwind and leave'the thread in theshuttle where .it is sure;to-be carried ,into'the cloth and produce a serious defect.

Ilaving thus described invention and the advantages thereof, 1 do notwish to-be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwisethan as setforth inithe claims, but what I claim is 1. In a loom, a shuttle, astand, a cutter slide and a cam slide mounted in said stand, a fixed anda movable cutting jaw on said cutter slide, a cam plate pivoted on saidcam slide to swing in a horizontal plane, said cam plate operating onrearward movement of said slides to open and hold said cutting jaws, andsaid shuttle thereafter engaging said cam plate and swinging said platesidewise to release said jaws.

2. In a loom having a shuttle and a shuttle x, in combination, a stand,a cutter slide and a cam slide mounted in said stand, a. fixed and amovable cutting jaw on said cutter slide, a cam plate pivoted'on saidcam slide to swing in a horizontal plane, said cam plate operating onrearward movement of said slid-es to open and hold said cutting jaws,and said shuttle having a projection effective to engage said cam plateas the shuttle approaches the shuttle box and swin ing said plate sidewise to release said jaws.

3. A construction'as set forth in claim 2, in which the projection onthe shuttle is grooved longitudinally to receive the weft and toposition the weft between the cutting jaws.

4. In a loom, a lay, a shuttle, a stand, a cutter slide and a cam slidemounted in said stand, a fixed and a movable cutting jaw on said cutterslide, and said cam slide having a cam portion at its rear end effectiveto open said cutting jaws upon rearward move- :in which the day isprovided with a projection and in which a contact member is anountedonsaid cutter slide and is movable by opening movement of said jaws toposi: tion for engagement by said projection, whereby said cutterslide'is moved forward to normally inoperative position, and in which alost motion connection permits the cutting jaws to close while saidcontact member and projectionremain engaged.

.7. Aconstruction as setforth in claim 4,

in which the lay is provided witha projec- ,tion and in whichia contactmember is mounted on said cutter slide and is movable by openingmovement of said jaws .to

position for engagementby said projection, whereby said cutter slideismoved forward to normally inoperative position, and in which saidcontact member iscounterweighted to return to a position out of the pathof said projection, when released thereby.

8. In a loom, a lay, a thread cutter adjacent the selvage of the cloth,means to hold saidthread cutter normally in forward inoperativeposition, means to return said cutterto such forward position after asingle operation thereof and to cause said holding means to again becomeoperative, and a normally inoperative connection between said lay andsaid thread cutter, which connection including anengaging member mountedon and movable with the thread cutter, and also movable relative theretoto engaging and to inoperative positions, said connection being renderedoperative by rearward movementof said thread cutter and being thereafterrendered again inoperative after a single forward movement of saidthread cutter thereby.

9. In a loom, a shuttle, a shuttle box, a weft replenishing mechanism,and means to cut the weft upon indication of weft ex haustion and beforethe running shuttle enters the shuttle box for weft replenishment, saidcutting means being supported externally to and separated from saidshuttle, and being effective to cut the weft outside of the shuttle. I

10. In a loom, a shuttle, a shuttle box, a thread cutter mountedadjacent the cloth selvage, and means effective to actuate said threadcutter to cut the thread outside the shuttle before the shuttle enters asubstantial distance into the shuttle box.

11. In a loom, a shuttle, a shuttle box, a thread cutter mountedadjacent the cloth selvage, and means effective to actuate said threadcutter to cut the thread outside the 1') Shuttle while the shuttle is inflight toward said box.

12. In a loom, a shuttle, a shuttle box, and a thread cutter mountedoutside of and separate from said shuttle, said shuttle engag- 1o ing aportion of said thread cutter and rendering said thread cutter operativeto cut the thread outside the shuttle as said shuttle approaches theshuttle box.

13. In a loom, a thread cutting mechanism 15 comprising a slide, meansto hold said slide normally in forward inoperative position, means tomove said .slide rearward upon indication of transfer, a pair of cuttingjaws on said slide, means to open said jaws as 20 said slide movesrearward, and means to close said jaws, said closing means beingcontrolled by the active shuttle while said shuttle is in'fiight.

14:. In a loom, a thread cutting mechanism comprising a slide, means tohold said slide normally in forward inoperative position, means to movesaid slide rearward upon indication of transfer, a pair of cutting jawsI on said slide, means to open said jaws as 110 said slide movesrearward, and means to hold said jaws open, said holding means beingdisplaced from holding position by the running shuttle as it approachesthe shuttle box after weft replenishment.

15. In a loom, a lay, a shuttle, a thread cutter movable forward andrearward in said loom, cutting jaws for said thread cutter, means toopen said jaws as the cutter moves rearward, means to hold said jaws indefinite spaced relation to the lay during forward movement thereof, anda projection on the shuttle effective to engage and release said threadcutter for cutting action while said thread cutter is thus positioned.

16. In a loom, a lay, a shuttle, a thread cutter movable forward andrearward in said loom, cutting jaws for said thread cutter, means to"open said jaws as .the cutter moves rearward, means to hold said jawsin definite spaced relation to the lay during forward movement thereof,and a projection on the shuttle effective to engage and release saidthread cutter for cutting action while said thread cutter is thuspositioned, thereby severing the thread and grasping the severed end.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atlixed my signature.

ELBRIDGE R. HOLMES.

